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Peak Refuel Three Bean Chili Mac

Curated from 95 real Reddit conversations

Refreshed on: November 13, 2024

Peak Refuel Three Bean Chili Mac

Brand: Peak Refuel
Price: $13
Snoop Score:
6.8
Sentiment
8.5
Popularity
8.7
Technical
5.5

Snoop's Take

The Peak Refuel Three Bean Chili Mac is a premium freeze-dried camping food designed for backpackers and hikers seeking convenient meals packed with flavor and nutrition. This meal requires just water for preparation and boasts 30g of protein, making it an ideal choice for outdoor adventures where quality sustenance is essential. Consumers rave about the delicious taste and quality of Peak Refuel meals, with one user stating, "The Texas State Fair Chili is the single best backpacking meal I've eaten." Many praise the high protein content and the absence of artificial preservatives, noting that unlike other brands, Peak Refuel meals are made with 100% real ingredients. The feedback indicates strong appreciation for the variety of meal options and the luxurious taste compared to competitors. Based on extensive user feedback, the Peak Refuel Three Bean Chili Mac is highly recommended for anyone in search of premium freeze-dried meals for outdoor activities, as it stands out for its taste, nutritional value, and ingredient quality.

Not for you? Check out our other rated Freeze Dried Food

My favorites were the breakfast scramble.

Positive Feedback

Lighter water carries sadly does not compute.

Negative Feedback
Product
6.8
Peak Refuel Three Bean Chili Mac
Backpacking
9 / 10
Car Camping
4 / 10
Emergency Prep
5 / 10
Road Trips & Travel
4 / 10
See how this compares to all Freeze Dried Food

What it does well!

Key strengths users can’t stop talking about.
Delicious and flavorful meals
My favorites were the breakfast scramble.
Spaghetti with meat sauce (excellent)
Looking for real reviews from actual preppers.
Their dal bhat is so damn good.
High protein content
This. Also lasagne.
Mountain House is consistent and tasty. My personal favorite is the Chicken and Mashed potatoes, but that one is less awesome now because it now has small pieces of chicken instead of the whole breast like a few years ago.
Peak Refuel! They're a little more expensive than the average, but they aren't salt bombs, generally have a good amount of protein in them, and rehydrate well.
Best Backcountry Meal Brand? I'm partial to Peak Refuel because I find they have the most calories + protein for the punch.
Long shelf life
Peak Refuel - updated 10 year shelf life ? So I'm surprised that I haven't heard anything on this really anywhere.
Peak Refuel meals are better than US MREs
I have yet to find one meal that isn’t better than anything I’ve tasted in a US MRE.
Peak Refuel is the best freeze-dried food around.
Better quality ingredients
Peak Refuel and it's not even close. A casual look at ingredients tells you you're getting much better quality food.
No gastro issues reported
Besides that, peak has been my favorite.
Luxurious taste in freeze-dried meals
The Peak Refuel biscuit is one entire freeze dried biscuit in the bag.
the Texas State Fair Chili is the single best backpacking meal I've eaten.
Wide variety of meal options
Looks great, Thanks for the suggestion
Superior taste compared to competitors
I only eat Peak refuel. I've found them to taste considerably better than all the other brands I've tried, as well as being higher total calorie for the pack.
High protein content in meals
That level of protein content is hard to find in my other meals and backpacking food, and it's a great pick-me-up after working at a deficit for a few days.
Lightweight meals requiring less water
My new favorite pre-packaged meals are from Peak Refuel.
My new favorite pre-packaged meals are from Peak Refuel. Compared to Mountain House, you tend to get

Where it needs some work!

Areas to watch—feedback on possible improvements.
Water carry claims may be overstated
Lighter water carries sadly does not compute.
Some meals may be too high in calories for certain users
There are times when somewhat lower calories is preferable.
Pretentious branding may deter buyers
Just the pretentious name "Peak Refuel" means I won't buy it.

Compare On All Talked About Dimensions

Product NameImagePriceScoreCompareSee DetailsBuy Now
Mountain House Chicken & Dumplings Freeze Dried MealMountain House Chicken & Dumplings Freeze Dried Meal$10
8.4
DetailsBuy
Mountain House Breakfast Skillet - Freeze Dried Camping FoodMountain House Breakfast Skillet - Freeze Dried Camping Food$10
8.0
DetailsBuy
Mountain House Beef Stroganoff with NoodlesMountain House Beef Stroganoff with Noodles$10
7.7
DetailsBuy
Mountain House Expedition Bucket | Freeze Dried FoodMountain House Expedition Bucket | Freeze Dried Food$135
7.6
DetailsBuy
Peak Refuel Sweet Pork & Rice Freeze Dried MealPeak Refuel Sweet Pork & Rice Freeze Dried Meal$13
7.4
DetailsBuy
Mountain House Adventure Weekender KitMountain House Adventure Weekender Kit$49
7.3
DetailsBuy
Mountain House Chili Mac with Beef - Freeze Dried MealMountain House Chili Mac with Beef - Freeze Dried Meal$11
7.3
DetailsBuy
Mountain House Biscuits & GravyMountain House Biscuits & Gravy$8
7.1
DetailsBuy
Mountain House Fettuccine Alfredo with ChickenMountain House Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken$11
6.8
DetailsBuy
Mountain House Classic Spaghetti with Meat SauceMountain House Classic Spaghetti with Meat Sauce$8
6.8
DetailsBuy
Peak Refuel Three Bean Chili MacPeak Refuel Three Bean Chili Mac$13
6.8
DetailsBuy
Mountain House Chicken Fried RiceMountain House Chicken Fried Rice$9
6.7
DetailsBuy
Peak Refuel Biscuits and GravyPeak Refuel Biscuits and Gravy$14
6.4
DetailsBuy
Mountain House Beef Stew - Freeze Dried Camping FoodMountain House Beef Stew - Freeze Dried Camping Food$10
6.4
DetailsBuy
Mountain House Scrambled Eggs with BaconMountain House Scrambled Eggs with Bacon$7
6.2
DetailsBuy
Peak Refuel Chicken Pesto PastaPeak Refuel Chicken Pesto Pasta$14
6.1
DetailsBuy
Mountain House Vanilla Ice Cream SandwichMountain House Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwich$3
6.0
DetailsBuy
Mountain House Creamy Macaroni & CheeseMountain House Creamy Macaroni & Cheese$9
5.6
DetailsBuy
Mountain House Granola with Milk & Blueberries - Freeze Dried FoodMountain House Granola with Milk & Blueberries - Freeze Dried Food$7
5.5
DetailsBuy
Mountain House Chicken Teriyaki with RiceMountain House Chicken Teriyaki with Rice$9
5.0
DetailsBuy
Backpacker's Pantry Dark Chocolate Cheesecake MixBackpacker's Pantry Dark Chocolate Cheesecake Mix$7
4.8
DetailsBuy
Backpacker's Pantry Creme BruleeBackpacker's Pantry Creme Brulee$7
3.4
DetailsBuy
ReadyWise Breakfast Skillet Meal PouchReadyWise Breakfast Skillet Meal Pouch$13
3.2
DetailsBuy
Mountain House Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream SandwichMountain House Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwich$3
2.8
DetailsBuy
Backpacker's Pantry Mango Sticky RiceBackpacker's Pantry Mango Sticky Rice$7
2.5
DetailsBuy
ReadyWise 72 Hours Emergency Food SupplyReadyWise 72 Hours Emergency Food Supply$28
1.9
DetailsBuy

Core Power Plays

The specs and strengths that make it shine.
Preference for meals that allow cooking in the bag
Research which ones are actually good and I prefer the ones where you pour the water in the bag to avoid clean up + you can hug it while it “cooks” if it’s a cold night.
We actually eat freeze dried food as a dinner about once a month for fun and to make it feel like a treat for my kids. That way, if we ever had to do it for real, they wouldn’t revolt.
Comparison to other meal brands
Favorite meal brands … PackIt Gourmet, Stowaway Gourmet, Sails & Trails Meals, Outdoor Herbivore, & Peak Refuel
Discussion about meal preferences among freeze-dried options
Best freeze dried meals? I’m only able to section once a year for a few days and enjoy eating the best freeze dried meals I can get for the trail.
Good To-Go meals
Desiccant packets help with moisture control
You're not going to get much atmospheric moisture through a plastic bag, even over a long period of time.

Hidden Hero Hacks

Unexpected tricks and side‑door uses you’ll love.
Repacking meals doesn't affect taste significantly
Personally I feel like it should be good at this point to repack.
I've repacked meals into ziplock for up to 10 days, they pretty much taste the same as fresh from the original foil bag.
Debate on the practicality of repackaging meals
The water carry a bit of a stretch and likely context specific.

Buyer’s Cheat Sheet

What to check before you click ‘Add to Cart.’
Discussion about dog reactions to freeze-dried food
Also, I asked your dog what they thought of freeze-dried backpacking food and they just said “HECKIN YES PLEASE”
He’s like “You don’t even have to add water! Trust me , bro!”
They make freeze dried dog food too if you were wondering
Comparison to mountain house meals
I like the Mountain House entrees, and will crack open a pouch when I'm too lazy/tired to cook a proper meal.
They are sometimes hard to find. You can get them on Amazon. Not exactly a hot deal, but for a treat maybe!
Wait… camping in the rain means Dad busts out the good stuff? Um. We LOVE the rain!”
I really enjoy Peak Refuel brand. Love the breakfast skillet, bison mashers and a few of the other ones.
Discussion about meal longevity and quality over time
I can definitely attest to the oil taste; their pesto pasta always tastes so oily lol.
Curiosity about moisture content affecting shelf life
Some of the pasta dishes almost felt like they had oil in them, I'm wondering if they tweaked the recipe to exclude oil or other ingredients that could go rancid to increase the shelf life?
Discussion about best freeze-dried meals for preppers
What is the best freeze dried meals A bit of context I myself am a prepper and alot of the time you have to eat freeze dried meals and preppers just buy them do you have any advice also I want to start hiking what are the best trails in MI
Discussion about comparing Peak Refuel to Mountain House
They aren't as gourmet as Peak Refuel, but super filling, and quite good in my opinion
Discussion about best breakfast options in freeze-dried meals
I find the general consistency of peak stuff is better.
General comparison to various brands
Try a couple and see what tastes best to you.
Peak Refuel and Alpine Aire.
Comparison of different freeze-dried meal brands
Fernweh Farms is a company out of Oregon. Their food is really quite excellent—
I have enjoyed Backpacker's Pantry. Pad Thai and Kathmandu Curry are my favorites.
Concerns about meal preparation time
Although the biscuits and gravy takes a few steps so its not exactly a quick backcountry meal
Packaged meals can remain fresh for months when stored correctly
It stays fresh in the opened can for months.
they were absolutely fine.
Discussion on hydration practices while using freeze-dried meals
missing the 8oz in the meal is not going to be detrimental.
Comparison of shelf life with Mountain House
Much more food per package. I watched some reviews and that suggests its similar in taste quality.
Taste tests between Peak Refuel and Mountain House
Peak Refuel is, on average, noticeably tastier than MH.
Discussion on best freeze-dried meal brands
Best Freeze Dried Foods What, in your personal opinion, is the best freeze dried meals? Mountain house? Peak Refuel? Backpacker's Pantry? Also, what are some substitute meal ideas? ie Quaker's instant Oatmeal as a cheaper Oatmeal option.
The r/trailmeals wiki has a big list of good brands. Check it out:
Peak for sure.
I do my own. Dehydrated chili, dehydrated veggie soup, or chicken noodle are good. Quick and easy is instant mashed potatoes and some gravy, or ramen. I can't spend $13 a meal on freeze dried meals when I can make dried red beans and rice at home and get 5 meals for $3.
Discussion on food storage methods and preferences
Sticking to only longterm food can get pretty costly if you wanna save up for multiple people for more than just a weeks worth of food.
I used to do the 50/50 method and then I ate the MREs that I had been storing that were close to their expiration date and I realized I didn't want to suffer *that much* in a SHTF situation by having to force myself to eat what someone labeled as food.
Comparison to Mountain House and other brands
Any other good freeze dried dinner options aside from Mountain House? I want to expand my possibilities.
There's a lot of good meal companies, and most of them are in my objective opinion, better that Mountain House.
If you’re open to creating your own recipes (and, I highly recommend you do; it’s a lot of fun), [Harmony House Foods](https://www.harmonyhousefoods.com/) offers a ton of options for singular items such as carrots, raspberries, and the like.
If you head to garage grown gear they have some tasty alternatives to the household names like Mountain House, Backpackers Pantry, etc.

Cautionary Callouts

Know the pitfalls before they catch you off guard.
Freeze-dried meals require high sodium content for hikers
Definitely not meant to be eaten as a “normal” meal.
if you plan on living on it you will understand the mad rush for toilet paper during the pandemic.
Concern about product recalls related to listeria contamination
Some ReadyWise and Peak Refuel products containing freeze dried chicken have been recalled for possible listeria contamination.
Does it offer date of packaging ranges of the affected meals?
Discussion about favorite meals and brands
All American Burger Works (this is the best of them all and maybe my fav dehydrated meal from any company)
Mountain House’s Beef Stew is and will always be my OG go to.
Discussion on taste test reviews
Peak Refuel has the same 25-year shelf life but they do not want to be known as a "Long-Term Emergency Food" but as a choice for active campers and the like.
Discussion about food preferences for hiking
I'm only looking for dinner ideas, am relatively price insensitive, and am not interested in DIY dehydrating.
I do not eat keto, but I like the meat & veggie focus of their meals.

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